‘Sherlock’ season 4: Martin Freeman says ‘one-off special’ idea considered
This is going to feel much too familiar for “Sherlock” fans at this point: More and more conversation about production delays keeping the show that you love off the air for a long time. It’s a rare situation on TV when you have a show this early in its run on TV struggle to continue, and mostly just because everyone involved is so busy trying to do other things.
The one thing to remember here, though, is that we’re talking about crazy schedules for everyone involved, so you cannot just thrust your ire at Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman for being famous and busy actors. Freeman will appear Friday on “Chatty Man,” and he said (per the Mirror) that there is so much uncertainty, even for him, that the idea of a one-episode special has even been considered:
“I don’t know when we are doing the next one. It is just not me and Benedict it is the writers also. Steven and Mark have had a great idea what they can do next and it is an exciting mouth watering idea but I don’t know when we are going to get round and do it .I really don’t. The next series has not even been written yet. I am not even being coy. I [don’t] know when it is going to happen or what it is going to involve.
“I just know we have this one central idea. It is an idea for a one off special and it is such a good idea and as I was listening to it I thought it was a good idea but I don’t know when we are going to be able to do it unfortunately.”
Eventually, we feel like it will happen for the sole reason that “Sherlock” is a show that facilitates the careers of all parties involved. It is what launched the level of stardom that Cumberbatch has now, and tapping back into that audience is always great to promote your individual efforts.
In case you are wondering, though, this is the sort of reason why American TV shows force actors to sign longer contracts, that way they are typically booked for at least six years from the moment they sign on as star.
One final thing that we will say here is that we would have no problem with “Sherlock” coming back potentially once every two years or so with a new 90-minute special, sort of like a movie franchise you get on TV. It keeps the actors’ schedules free, and they don’t forget about the series, either.
What do you think: Would you be down for a “Sherlock” one-off if it got the show back on the air sooner rather than later? Let us know below, and click here to grab further updates from us via our CarterMatt Newsletter.
Photo: BBC One